Mechanical Heart
by Thatdragonrider
Summary: This isn't my story, its his. But only one of us were willing to speak of it. If there was ever a person who was just mindlessly existing it was him. However he would come alive when placed in an automaton in an illegal fighting ring, something we never thought possible of him. He didn't even like the fights but by some freak chance he became one of them. A fighter. Slight OOC AU.
1. Chapter 1

**I've uploaded this before (thanks Kat for reviewing the last time 3) but deleted it however this is for PsychoPyro, my newest friend, and I just want to say: Thank you.**

** Disclaimer: Masashi Kishimoto owns this world and its characters. **

** Warnings: OOC? Later Violence and mild language but none here, I don't believe. **

To be specific, if I had any hand in his demise then it would be that I was the last one to touch his noose. The hand that secured it around his throat, the one that threaded the loose ends. That was my hand. You could tell it was my hand that did it because I always wet the tip of my finger and lightly pinched at the individual strands that came undone. It's all metaphorical of course. He hasn't actually killed himself. I have never touched a noose. Yet sometimes I think we could both feel it coiling around his neck and all he had to do was let go of the world underneath him.

This isn't a result of depression or sadness, but because when one lived too much with just going through the motion, it becomes only so evident that the person was killing himself, just as he was doing.

Like now, I was studying him as he sat across from me. His eyes never wandered or strayed from the book in front of him on the table. If I hadn't been watching his eyes as intently as I was then I would have thought he was reading it but his irises never moved within their space, they were stilled as if time stopped.

"You're doing it again." He mumbled through unmoving lips.

I blinked, and immediately began rubbing my own eyes, not having realized that they stung from staring too intently. With my fingers still pressed against my eyes, I replied, "So are you." I lowered my hands back down and placed them in my lap before looking back into his eyes that had risen to be leveled with mine.

He had brown eyes that looked like liquid milk chocolate that were depthless. Sometimes I liked to stare into them and imagine the stories that were hidden in them, just beyond my sight. They were always in shadow, though, by the roughly textured and messy crimson red hair that feathered out just above his eyes and just below his chin, unevenly framing his soft face. The hoods over his eyes visibly lowered as he looked at me with the same bored expression he always wore, "Sometimes I wonder why I put up with you."

My head cocked to the side as I thought this over, "Probably because I'm the only one who talks to you, hmm." I replied, just as bluntly.

His eyes seemed to glaze over as he visibly lost interest in the conversation he himself had started. He looked back down at the book, resuming his fake reading, "That must be it."

Our conversations tended to go this way a lot, as I assume he had only so many responses to give out. Sometimes I thought that hanging out with him was like being in the company of a beloved doll, one that you had to pull the string and he'd respond, for he never ignored me but neither did he give too much of his own thoughts on his own accord. He never particularly varied from his usual expression so there was another similarity. Likewise though, he must've thought being with me was like being with a child. The child and the doll: how fitting.

I sat there pliantly for the next hour or so before finally he closed his book and quietly stood up, "I'm done reading." His words were almost as quiet as his actions. He reached for the book with one of his pale hands and slipped it against the crook of his elbow and chest.

Nodding, I stood up and began to follow closely as he walked through the library's aisles. We lived in what was nowhere near a big city and with few people who actually came to the library; it was rather small and clumped together and light was dim and sometimes flickered. There weren't any new books that were added I believe for years, so all the books had visibly worn binds and the pages were turning a faded yellowish color. He walked over to one shelf to put his book away. He had chosen a rather boring book to not read in my opinion, the book being on mechanical machines of some sort or another.

Once it was shelved his hand lingered on surface. He must've been lost in his own world again. Moments went by before I piped up, "Any place you want to go to next, Sasori, hmm?" He seemed to twitch at the use of his name. I don't think he liked it because it was his grandmother who named him and he didn't feel too fond of her I believe.

His hand slipped and he turned over, gazing blankly at me, "Anywhere, I suppose." In other words he would follow me this time.

I brought my forefinger to my lower lip, repeatedly tugging thoughtfully and allowing for it to make that snapping noise, "Let's go to the rings."

The rings. Not in our town but the one over held the underground fighting rings. The rings were dubbed as so and had been the place where stolen robots from the armies fought. People would 'suit up' in these ten-foot giants and would then begin to brawl, tearing and pounding the robots with little to no mercy of the person on the inside. It was absolutely brutal but then again the very possession of these machines was illegal. Honestly a strange place for two teens to hang out at, but that really wasn't ever questioned by either of us.

"We'll have to ride the train, which means we won't get home until later."

I shrugged, "My parents won't care… will your grandmother?" Sasori only had a grandmother and the few times I met her I could always tell she was a little out of it.

"Maybe."

"…"

"…"

"…So?"

"Fine, let's go." He turned and led the way out of the library and into the frigid winter evening. My arms clasped against my stomach, huddling closer for the warmth. Maybe, I should have pestered my mother for a scarf, after all it was only early winter. By my side, Sasori seemed unaffected and he had worn an even thinner gray sweater than my jacket was.

Sasori walked down the sidewalk and to the subway station just down the block. It was a small town with a few neighborhoods on the outskirts. No one really was on the street; we weren't even big enough for hobos or street performers. The biggest our town got was a few historical buildings and a single subway that seemed like it only led out.

The town itself was rather dull and the paint chipped almost to where it looked like the intentional style, as if the buildings had their own little epidemic. The buildings were only two stories at max and from the outside one could tell it would be musty and almost certainly moldy on the inside. The streets were singular lane, one for each direction, and had relatively no litter but once again there needs to be people to litter. Some small trees and shrubs adorned the sidewalks but nothing too eye catching and most were wild and uncontrolled.

We walked in our usual silence and once we reached the downward path with the flickering 'Subway' sign above, we ducked under the ceiling and entered the very dim and heavy aired station.

No more than a handful of people were down here and none besides us were with another person, all seemed content to be alone in what could only be considered a dark, damp station, even if it hadn't rained for days. Sasori led us over to the ticket booth, a small glass box. The entire front surface was a touch screen and he pressed the only word available, welcome. It booted to life and asked for both the amount of people and location. He typed both and then said he would pay for the two of us. The cost came up; relatively moderate in price, before it spewed out his change after he paid. I nodded my thanks to him as he handed me the ticket and we ventured over to one of the empty benches waiting for the subway.

The bench creaked and moaned under our combined weight and for a while that was the only noise. There wasn't any people watching to be done and I had twiddled with my black and white striped arm warmers for long enough and even lost interest in picking at the buttons on my navy blue jacket before I glanced back over at him. I don't know why I always describe him because he never really looks or does anything different, even when wearing different clothes does he manage to look the same. "Are you excited?" I knew the answer.

"Not really." Nothing excited him.

"Will you bet this time?" Gambling was to be expected with brawls, especially the underground, illegal ones, which held robots.

He blew out a breath, still staring forward. "No, we're minors." Both of us were a little older than sixteen. However, unlike him, sometimes I would bet if in the mood.

"It's not like it's legal to begin with, hmmm."

"So why are we going again?" He asked absentmindedly, this time his voice rising a little in his dreamy sounding question.

"Because you said I could decide, hmm." I reminded him.

The subway arrived and we both stood up and were the only two to actually board it, having our own compartment to ourselves. He sat down in one of the seats and I stood in front of him, holding onto one of the cool metal handles above my head. It creaked and started to slowly begin to move before gaining speed. Outside the windows everything was a jagged red blur from the unpainted brick tunnel. The ride lasted for a little over a half hour and neither of us found reason to speak during it.

There was a muffled voice over the intercom as it told us blandly our destination just before we arrived and shortly after we got off. This station was much busier and brighter looking, the throngs of people actually made it hard to maneuver. I began to worm my way through and didn't bother checking to see if he could do the same. The air was hot with everyone's breath and only began to cool as the closer we got to the exit, however instead of going up the path to the city above, he and I slipped into one of the more unknown hallways that was so hidden in shadow, and unless you knew it was there to begin with, then you wouldn't have seen it.

This hallway offered no light and I allowed my fingers to trail softly on the rough brick wall to make sure it was still there. The hallway was long enough for a person to turn back with several chances but soon enough we could hear the soft shouts and feel the vibrations of everyone's movements. Soon enough both made my body shake softly and my stomach clenched in the adrenaline that seeped from others and into me. Stage lights became visible at the end and everything became louder, more of a roar than cheering.

I had to put a hand to my eyes to shade them from the blaring bright lights coming from the ring and as we exited the hall, we entered the rings. Maybe this would be our town if it had the population and sin; it smelled offensive, of a mixture of body odor, grease, and something more rancid. People, sweaty and flushed, were everywhere, the stands, up against the ring's bands, and anywhere else. The room itself was very large and more like a large capacity that outstretched the definition of the word room.

Someone softly bumped into me from behind and I glanced over blinking in surprise. It was Sasori and for first time that day he showed slight emotion. He had recoiled from people bumping into him and his face scrunched up ever so from displeasure. He muttered a quiet apology and held his arms up to his chest, still cringing from every nearing person. I laughed slightly, "They're going to need to put you in one of those machines, hmm." I could barely make out my own voice above the shouting and overall rumble.

He scowled at the area around my chest, probably not even actually seeing me, "I don't need the images." Maybe along with all of his other problems, he was claustrophobic as well.

Smiling, I reached for his wrist and tugged him, more unwilling than before, up into the stands. We went to one of the higher rows and sat down. Apparently they were having an intermission or something as no robots were currently fighting. I also noted how Sasori sat closer to me than he normally would of but didn't say anything.

"Awe, look it's a kiddie couple. How cute." It was a woman's voice and we both turned to look over our shoulders. There was a group of five people, probably all in their early twenties. They had stripped out of their outerwear and down to shorts and tanks, for both the guys and girls, and even then their bodies glistened from sweat. It was the toned blonde, I believe, who made the comment.

The darkest skinned girl lowered her cigarette and blew the smoke out coolly into my face. She rested against a single arm and had her legs crossed loftily, "He could do better, honestly. He's pretty cute." I spluttered, almost missing her words, trying to shake my head away from the ring of smoke that still seemed to circle the air.

"She has… potential." One of the guys spoke this time.

The woman barked a laugh, "Definitely not! Look at her-" Both of us turned back in our seats and I noticed how he scooted just a little away from me.

_**Follow, Favorite, and Review please.**_


	2. Chapter 2

_**So this guy I sit next to told me to check my phone today in chem and when I did I had a text telling me to stop looking at him, he already knows he's handsome. He also said I was blessed to have him in two of my classes and I said it was funny cause being blessed feels an awfully lot like being stabbed with a pencil and that I was only looking over cause I thought he was having an exorcism next to me and I didn't wanna miss it.**_

_** Shoutout to Kat and PsychoPyro you two are beyond amazing srsly. This is for you guys 3**___

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My hands tapped against the metal benches on either side of me, however when my left hand touched something wet, I quickly stopped and rubbed my hand against my jacket over the area of my stomach. Sasori was watching me with a slightly disgusted look but I paid him no attention this time as he was a bit of a clean freak. Thinking about it that may be why stuffed both hands in his pockets. He also hunched over now more aware than ever of the people behind us. I glanced back at them but they already seemed to lose interest in us.

Suddenly the lights dimmed and the people became so loud and livid that I could feel them pulsating through my veins. Some people hollered and others just beat against the benches, stomping and clapping to a created beat. Flashing colorful lights began to rove over the rings and the stands as well and a voice was heard through a microphone, "Are you reeeaaadddyy?" People roared even louder. "I SAID 'ARE YOU READY'!" The screams became even more earsplitting but unlike Sasori I didn't cover my ears but neither did I join in making the noise. "Tonight is a treat as we continue in the champion's struggle to the top to obtain the title of the greatest among us!" He paused for the people to get their hollers in before resuming, "Jirobo will now fight the foreigner from Germany, a powerhouse in his own rights: Kankuro!"

Everyone screeched as two robots, a green one and a red one, came stomping to the centered ring from other sides of the rooms. They were giants and each step made a thudding noise that would make the floor vibrate. Similar in size, about 12 to 14 feet, and both had missing weapons that had been detached for reasonable purposes, however there were differences in designs, indicating different models. The red one was a sleeker red and more rounded at the head and shoulders, the arms thinner, but supposed to be faster, whilst the green was more blockier and thicker everywhere, it wouldn't go down easily. Kankuro apparently being the green as the red got more attention and its arm fist pumped the air, like a person on a winning streak.

Both stepped through the crowds and into the elevated ring, the lights dancing against their surfaces making the metal glisten as if in a rainbow moonlight. No referee appeared, meaning anything was legal in this fight and the voice on the intercom would be the deciding factor. A misty timer appeared overhead the ring, red and big but not tangible. The voice on the intercom spoke again, "For all you who missed the previous fights, then do we all feel sorry. More importantly the rules are clear: there are none. The fight has three rounds, each four minutes, and at the end of each a magnetic field in the ring will be disrupted, immobilizing the robots and for the pit crew to come and have a look for a few minutes. After all: we aren't totally cruel." You could hear him snicker into the microphone. "Alright, count down with me people: 20, 19, 18, 17, 16, 15, 14, 13, 12, 11, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5… 4… 3… 2… aaannnd 1!"

The robots immediately surged forward the red one swiping with an ungodly speed at the helmet of the green one, his arms like two helicopters. The green one didn't seem fazed however and took the beating before throwing a punch of its own into the center of the red one. Jirobo seemed to lose balance for only a second before the robot's stumbling became purposeful steps as it spun and towards the end of the spin took a giant leap at an angle to where it finished by throwing a superman punch at the other's helmet. This time sparks were visible and when the red landed a roar erupted trough the crowd as everyone could feel the quivering. Kankuro's robot seemed more sluggish to its commands now as the robot had responded to blocking a new onslaught rather slowly.

Again the red was a whirlwind. To everyone's shock through, the green one ended up grabbing the arm of Jirobo's and when his other hand tried breaking the hold that one was grabbed too. There was a suspenseful moment where Kankuro brought the robot's arms up and began to tug at them in different directions. We could all hear the gears as it was being tugged apart. This didn't last long, for the red robot used this holding to jump up and go completely horizontal, using the pulling to pull backwards himself, kicking both feet out and creating the same noise to come from the green. Kankuro's choices was either let go or have his own arms torn off so his robot let go, making it fall to the floor with an even bigger _thump_ than Jirobo's smaller robot.

Just as Jirobo was raising his foot raise to stomp on the center of the robot, the buzzer went off and both robots stilled. The pit crews rushed forward and onto the ring to deal with the damage. I looked down not realizing I was leaning forward, hovering above my seat by my two hands that gripped the edge in a vice-like grip. Forcefully, I pried my hands open and off, sitting back and uncurling and curling my hands to get the blood to flow again. I looked over at Sasori and he seemed as bored as ever, maybe even a little irritated at all this sound, but that didn't show on his blank face, "Who are you rooting for?" I asked above the noise.

He blinked, seeming to come back from his own world and looked slowly at me, "Why- It's not like you're rooting for anyone either."

I flashed a small smile, "Heh, I guess you're right."

He snorted softly before looking back and resting his cheek against his palm, his elbow now propped up on his knees. The other hand was still in his sweater's pocket. I watched how his curved back made a very prominent C, as if his body was frowning for him. He wasn't mad; this was just how he was. I don't believe he even knew how to show excitement. Maybe he was more of a robot than the ones fighting for he sure only had certain expressions hay-wired into his brain…

The buzzer started again and I glanced up sharply. The robots were in their same positions when the buzzer rang and immediately they began again. Both seemed somewhat refreshed for the green quickly rolled out of the way of the stomp that just ended up reverberating against the tough ring. I'm not sure entirely what it was made of but the ring could take countless beatings from the robots. Kankuro's robot did a robot version of a kip-up that shook the bands a little when he landed on his feet. Immediately the two robots began to circle each other.

The red robot swayed a little from side to side but it was the green one that came zipping, sliding sceechingly against the floor before it did something that everyone gasped at. Kankuro had the robot reach back behind him, at the spot that had once held a large gun, and he pulled out a scrap of metal from the robot, revealing some of the circuitry. This was unexpected, it was legal as it wasn't technically a weapon illegalized, but this was clearly a strategy worthy of a general.

Still in motion, it warped the metal into a crude disk before bringing it up, and with the weight of the stronger green robot behind it, thrust it deeply into right shoulder of Jirobo's robot at an angle to where it probably touched Jirobo's buttons and controls directly, if not Jirobo himself. Tides had turned as the red robot sparked and shook from the lost of control of the right arm. Electric sparks rolled down the arm and to the fingers of the robot.

For a moment everything stopped as we all watched what would happen. The right hand swayed a little, indicating its looseness and then Jirobo began to spin at such a speed that his robot's features were blurred. He used this speed for the arm to flail naturally around with him, smacking the green robot harshly in the face and indenting it to about a third of it caved, the metal crinkling like paper.

The robot started to cave forward and Jirobo grabbed the back of the head as he brought his knee up to swiftly knee Kankuro's robot. There was a hollow echo as we could hear Kankuro inside get rattled up. Still he didn't relent and brought his elbow up but was stopped by the buzzer. The pit crew came forward but for Kankuro, his robot was far too gone to be quickly touched up. He needed a shop.

"Kankuro's going to win."

I blinked and looked over at Sasori who was looking off to the side and not at the robots. He sat there and you couldn't really be sure he said anything, except I knew he did, "Why do you say that? His robot is almost completely destroyed."

"He's going to win." He repeated, eyes still not actually on the robots. I gave him a long stare but he never even looked at me. Finally, I glanced away and back at them as they began the final round and, despite Sasori's words, Kankuro's robot was in no better conditions than where they left off, however to some extent Jirobo's arm seemed to work. The elbow that had been suspended at the end of the last round finally came bearing down and it came down hard. Again you could hear Kankuro being jostled on the inside. Jirobo gripped at Kankuro's robot's head, pulling it back and reaching into his own shoulder to pull out the disk that was in him, getting ready to sever the head completely. He pulled back and with such a speed that you could almost miss it, he swung it in an arc down on Kankuro's neck… only he didn't make it that far.

Kankuro had reached up and blocked it, with his forearm, colliding the two robot's forearms. It was if watching real people fight and the under dog had stopped a critical blow. With the arm that was raised, he shot out and wrapped Jirobo's robot's neck in his large hand and began to crush. You could see the dent even from the stands. Jirobo tried raking across the surface of Kankuro's robot with the disk but he wouldn't relent. In a vice-like grip, with spluttering of the coils in the neck, it gave a final creak before snapping under the pressure, and Jirobo's robot lost it's head. The match was over and Kankuro had won.

Both robots still stood, Kankuro stooped and Jirobo headless, when the visible wave went over the ring, stilling the robots. No one in the crowd made a noise, finally the speakers came on, "… My oh my, lady and gentlemen, no one could have called it! An unexpected turn of events, our champion has lost to the foreigner!" And there was a deafening roar. Because no one could have called it… except someone did but he would never claim that.

I glanced over at him, "How'd you know that, hmm?"

"Know what?" He asked absentmindedly, glancing over at me.

"You know what! Kankuro winning! He was clearly in the losing position, hmmm!"  
He brought his hand up to his mouth, looking as if he was chewing thoughtfully on the nail but we both knew that he was only doing it because that's what looked normal. He wouldn't put his hand anywhere near his mouth, "I'm not sure." He knew and he knew I knew that he did.

I nodded and glanced away as the lights dimmed a dark blue, casting everything in a mystical light, "Now, for the final event, one of you will get to fight in the area against this week's champion for the grand prize of 5,000 dollars. If you lose nothing happens. If you win, well boy you better be prepared for a new life."

Immediately around us, everyone stood up, eager to be the lucky soul to fight for the chance of that prize. My feet pressed into the benches in front of us, feeling the vibrating sensation down to my toes. By my side Sasori seemed to shrink into himself even more, but the attention to that detail was stored away, only ever reaching the back of my mind for a split second. What if I was chosen? Would I get in the machine? Would I stand a chance against Kankuro? They say when you feel anticipation it's like an acidic feeling dripping from an IV into your stomach, but I didn't feel it. So I guess that was an answer.

But when the gold light streamed across my legs and the screams became deafening I could feel the clench. It was as if time was slowing down, the roving light becoming slower and slower as it danced across my thighs. I expected it to pass completely, being one of the souls never even considered.

I was partially right. I was never considered. The light passed over me. _Mostly._ Just a shiny sliver was on a fraction of my pants. And time did seem to stop as I slowly followed where the light had stopped. I saw his eyes, wide with horror, reflecting amber in the light.

Sasori had been chosen to fight.

I could feel his body quiver by my side, he made to leave. Before he even got the chance to stand up, I reached out and grabbed his wrist. I don't know why I did it. He didn't want to fight. I didn't particularly want him to fight. So why was I holding onto his shaking arm?

He turned to look back at me and in that eye contact I saw the noose drop to the ground. "Fight" I whispered. His eyes told me he wanted anything but. Yet at the same time he hadn't forced my loose grip off his wrist.

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_**How was it? Okay before I do the totally obvious thing and say review, I want this to be clear: I AM ONLY WRITING THIS STORY QUICKLY IF IT GETS REVIEWS AND FAVORITES AND WHATNOT. 'Oh you're only do this story for attention' Nah dawgs, just I got a lot on my plate, and this story yeah. SO AGAIN: IF YOU WANT TO READ MORE BE SURE TO REVIEW. Even saying 'Oh loved it' or 'Man this sucks' is enough. Okay well clearly I'm not gonna update for the latter. Nice try peeps.**_

_**Also that adds the point of on my profile I have story statuses which say where I'm at with each story and their update so if you're interested in that check it out ever once and awhile and you can see my update plans.**_

_**Okay now onto Glitch since I have the time.**__**God I sound like a horrifyingly stern substitute. You guys are amazing and I hope to see you all soon enough! **_


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